Days Events:

Wx - 64/88, sunny, wds S 2-9mph. TSM threatened late in afternoon.

Travel - a most interesting and long day.

Left Schenectady at 09:00, planning to travel 26 miles to stop at the free dock on the west side of Lock 12, Tribes Hill, which was to be our 5th lock of the day; actually arrived there earlier than expected, at 12:35, which seemed too soon to stop, so decided to push on to St.Johnsville, where we had a reservation already for Monday night and we reasoned a long day today would make for a day of rest and grocery shopping there tomorrow. It was 'only' another 27 miles and 3 locks, but these three were the 'smallest' [8 ft lift each] and each lockmaster notified the next one we were coming so the gates were already open and we just drove straight in, lifted in 10 minutes, and out the other side -- an easy end to a long day, and allowed us to arrive at St. Johnsville at 16:30/4:30pm, after 7.5 hrs and 53 miles total, to tie up ahead of a large TSM threatening the region, but all we had was some wind fortunately [which is what the Admiral predicted anyway!].

Lots of trains! We saw and heard one at least every hour -- we actually now recognize there have been trains this frequent ever since we hit New Jersey! Good and efficient mode of transport.

Marina - It is a municipal marina, and some one checks it daily on the weekends and he came by to get us registered. It is quite small, with only a dozen potential slips on a long bulkhead/face concrete dock; it has power pedestals but no water. The town is only 1600 people and their grocery store burned last fall, so the only food source locally is an expanded convenience store -- which we will walk/bike to in the a.m.

Photos - several showing lock-related items: the walls in one are really 'rough' and would tear the boat hull apart without good fenders; one shows the Admiral, in the same sweaty red and slimey shirt, holding one of the last locks lines [she could rest, sitting, because I had looped a line around a mid-ship pipe -- as compared to the struggles we had without pipes/cables and had to really wrestle these slimy 3/4" ropes earlier]; one shows an approach to a dam/lock; one shows the pipes we could use to throw a line around and hold us to the wall during the water changing. The pipes and cables are set in recesses in the wall; whereas the ropes are hung from the top, on large embedded rings, with a 'float' ball to keep them away from the wall so boaters can grab them, and with a 'weight' on the bottom to keep them hanging sort of straight.

-- one I took this morning as left Shenectady, showing the same archway opening as last evenings sunset, but now more clear and seems to offer a different reflection and even an 'illusion' perhaps;

Admirals Desk:

Today was all about locks! 8 of them! Thankfully they were uneventful, and the final 3 were the easiest. Ropes, cables and pipes are quite different from the bollard/bit types that we were used to.

It was hot today so hanging on to ropes, on the bow, in the sun, made it a 3 shirt day.😅 Otherwise a great day on the water. No boats, no wind, mirror smooth water, and green rolling hills on each shore. The trees are beginning to show a bit of fall gold. This trip would be spectacular in about a month.

Left overs tonight. Too pooped to cook and not much available locally so leftovers sound really good. We learned that the local Italian eatery would come and pick us up!

Showers are going to feel really good tonight.

BTW, I managed to activate and set up my new phone all by myself!!

Good night.

PS

An update on the trains - one every 15 min this evening. Glad our state room is below and blocks the noise.

Maintenance:

Steering - no problems.

Covid - the marina monitor fellow was masked .

That's all today.

Tomorrow - find groceries.

Stay safe.

Comments:

Dd - 23 Aug 2020: So interesting! Great history! Love the pics.

Ernie R - 24 Aug 2020: Wow, those lock walls are worse then the TennTom!! Finally, everything on boat fixed! Jerry - 25 Aug 2020: The Canadian Hertage Locks are much older and much better maintained. Hope get to them next year.